Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Matha

சிறீ லங்கா தாயே

About:

Sri Lanka Matha has been the national anthem of Sri Lanka since 1951, soon after independence from Britain was achieved in 1948. The song was officially adopted as the national anthem of Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was then called) on November 22, 1951, by a government committee led by Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne.

The words were written by Ananda Samarakoon, and were changed, without his consent, in 1952. Samarakoon committed suicide soon afterwards, in protest at the decision to alter his lyrics.

The anthem has had controversy associated with it, as a symbol of the ethnic divide which fuelled the Sri Lankan civil war. In 2010, the version of the anthem with lyrics in Tamil was relinquished as an official version of the anthem.

Mother Lanka we salute Thee!
Plenteous in prosperity, Thou,
Beauteous in grace and love,
Laden with grain and luscious fruit,
And fragrant flowers of radiant hue,
Giver of life and all good things,
Our land of joy and victory,
Receive our grateful praise sublime,
Lanka! we worship Thee.
Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth,
Thou art our strength and inward faith,
Our light divine and sentient being,
Breath of life and liberation.
Grant us, bondage free, inspiration.
Inspire us for ever.
In wisdom and strength renewed,
Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended,
In love enfolded, a mighty nation
Marching onward, all as one,
Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom.